The invention relates generally to inflatable pouches used to package objects and, more particularly, to inflatable pouches that are adapted to be converted into a continuous series of inflated pouches.
Consumers frequently purchase goods from mail-order or internet retailers, which package and ship the goods to the purchasing consumer via the U.S. Postal Service or other carrier. Millions of such packages are shipped each Day.
Many of these packages include items such as pharmaceuticals, books, medical supplies, electronic devices, and the like. These items are normally packaged in small containers, such as a box or envelope. To protect the items during shipment, they are typically packaged with some form of protective dunnage that may be wrapped around the item or stuffed into the container to prevent movement of the item and to protect it from shock.
A common type of packaging envelope is known as a ‘padded mailer.’ Padded mailers are generally shipping envelopes that have padded walls to protect the contents of the mailer. Padded mailers generally include a single or double wall envelope, with paper dunnage or air cellular cushioning material to protect the packaged object. While such padded mailers have been commercially successful, they are not without drawbacks. For instance, because trapped or confined air is generally the cushioning medium, the space required to store such mailers is not insignificant. Further, in order not to require an inordinately large amount of storage space, the padded mailers are typically limited to having relatively thin padding.
One solution to the foregoing drawbacks is to employ inflatable mailers, i.e., mailers that have an integral inflatable cushioning material, which can be inflated just prior to packaging and shipment. While this approach has the potential to solve the above-described problems, current inflatable mailers require specialized inflation and sealing equipment, which is slow and cumbersome to operate, and which produces only one inflated mailer at a time.
Accordingly, there remains a need in the art for improvements in inflatable mailers, which overcome the foregoing difficulties.